


come together

by QueenWithABeeThrone



Category: The Defenders (Marvel TV)
Genre: Ensemble Cast, Gen, Multi, Reunions, Teamwork, kidnapping matt murdock from a convent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-05
Updated: 2017-10-05
Packaged: 2019-01-09 09:38:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12273783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenWithABeeThrone/pseuds/QueenWithABeeThrone
Summary: The first time they reunite, they kidnap Matt from a convent.or: three times the Defenders pulled together again.





	come together

**Author's Note:**

  * For [smilebackwards](https://archiveofourown.org/users/smilebackwards/gifts).



> wow so this is v late bc, WELP, I got slammed in the face by Thesis Hell. but anyway.
> 
> thanks to enthusiasmgirl for running this exchange and to smilebackwards for the prompt! I tried to make it work, but I think you can all see where Thesis Hell shot me down.
> 
> the expired cookies bit is not my idea and comes from another fic that I don't quite remember the title of. if you're the author of that particular fic, hi, I thought it was hilarious.

i. The first time they reunite, they kidnap Matt from a convent.

Yep. Jessica’s not sure how that happened either, just that at one moment she’d been walking down the street with a coffee in hand, the next Danny “I’m the Immortal Iron Fist, You Guys, I Punched a Dragon Once” Rand nearly runs her over with an unmarked white van.

“What the fuck,” she says, as Danny scrambles out of the driver’s seat, eyes wild. The side door opens, and Luke clambers out with some grace.

The other three—Claire, Nelson, and that reporter lady Page—more or less fall out in a heap.

“Jessica!” says Danny, then, “ _Matt’saliveweneedtogonow._ ”

“Hey, Jess,” says Luke, much more reasonably. “Sorry, I told him I could drive but he insisted.” He shoots Danny a Look, the same kind of Look Jessica would’ve shot her little brother, once upon a time.

“What did he just say?” says Jessica, because, well, really.

“Matt’s alive!” says Nelson, picking himself up.

“You’re fucking with me,” says Jessica, after a moment.

“No, _really_ —” says Danny.

“He isn’t dead, his ex climbed through my window to tell me as much,” says Page, eyes bright with Determination, and Jesus Christ why is Jessica acquainted with all these crazy fuckers. “He’s at a convent thirty miles out of town, we need to get him _right now._ ”

Jessica stares at her. Then she looks at Claire, who’s dusting the dirt off her shirt.

“They’re telling the truth,” she says.

Jessica downs the rest of her coffee, and says, “I’m not getting into the van while Danny’s driving.”

“I drive just fine!” says Danny, offended.

Jessica rolls her eyes up at the sky. She’s not drunk enough for this, she poured the remnants of her flask into her coffee and she is just not enjoying the idea of stepping into a convent, right now. “You almost ran me over, dumbass,” she says.

“I’ll drive,” says Claire. “I was going to do it anyway, except Danny got into the driver’s seat first and wouldn’t give it up.”

“I pulled up Google Maps, we can get there in maybe two hours,” says Luke, pulling out his phone.

“If the traffic isn’t bad and there’s no construction in a way, which is a pipe dream considering where we live,” says Nelson. “If it is, which it most certainly is, we’re looking at three, maybe four hours?”

“I could get us there faster,” Danny points out.

“You could also get us to the afterlife faster,” says Jessica.

“You wound me, Jess.”

“Why do you guys need us, anyway?” says Jessica, aiming this question at Nelson and Page. “You’re Matt’s best friends.”

Nelson rocks back on his heels and says, “We, uh, we kinda need a distraction.”

\--

“So your brilliant plan is to go inside, grab Matt, and run before the nuns realize,” says Jessica, crammed into the backseat between Nelson and Danny now. “That’s all?”

“Look, we only just found out, okay, neither of us are at our best,” says Nelson, with a huff.

Page cranes her neck around to look at them and says, “We are _working on a plan_.”

“It’s a great plan,” says Danny.

“It’s a terrible plan,” says Jessica.

“It’s not needed because we’re just going to _ask_ ,” says Luke, with a huff. “Very nicely. And hope for the best.”

Jessica reaches instinctively for her flask, manages to unscrew the cap before she remembers that there’s no alcohol left. Not for the first time, she’s sorely tempted to ask them to drop her off, she’s changed her mind, she’s not helping.

She doesn’t.

Instead she says, “Realistically, though, what do you think’s gonna happen?”

Luke sighs. “Yeah, point,” he says.

“I’ve got an idea,” says Nelson. “But, uh. It’ll probably send us all to hell, but it’ll get us to Matt faster without anyone thoroughly embarrassing themselves in front of nuns too much.”

“Too much?” says Luke, suspicious.

“Claire, can we drop by my apartment first?” says Nelson, ignoring the alarmed looks everyone in the car keeps throwing his way. Admirable, really. “I’ve got a box of expired Thin Mints I’ve been meaning to throw out.”

“If you’re planning what I think you’re planning, Foggy,” says Claire, “then, yeah, we’re probably all going to hell.”

\--

Turns out, the nuns at the convent where Matt’s recovering do not usually get Girl Scout cookies, so when Jessica appears with a sunny smile and a Tupperware container full of them, they fall all over themselves to let her and Page in.

“The little orphan niece was a nice touch,” Jessica mutters, as she and Page turn left down a corridor to the back door.

“Thanks, I was worried I played it up too much,” says Karen.

“Nah, you did pretty good,” says Jessica, studiously avoiding looking at the pictures of saints hung all along the walls. “Remind me to call you up next time I need to make a nun cry enough to let me into a convent.”

“Next time I’ll start charging,” says Page, lightly, as they come to a stop. She pulls the door open, and Claire walks through, carrying a heavy-duty medical kit, followed by Nelson, with a faded Columbia hoodie and sweatpants.

“We gotta get moving,” says Nelson, “you know, preferably before the nuns realize we fed them expired cookies.”

“Where are Luke and Danny?” says Jessica.

“Keeping the engine running nearby,” says Claire. “We better make this quick.”

\--

“You _goddamn asshole_ ,” is the first thing out of Nelson’s mouth when they step into the room and see Matt already pulling socks and a pair of pants on.

Jessica tilts her head to the side. Even underneath the bandages, she can appreciate how fit Matt looks. Especially for a dead man.

Matt says, “Foggy. _Convent._ ”

“We just fed a convent full of nuns expired cookies and you’re worried about my _language_?” says Nelson, incredulously. “ _Matt_ —”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” huffs Matt. “Tell me you brought spare clothes. If I stay in here a moment longer I’m going to snap.”

“This is the easiest kidnapping I’ve ever been a part of,” says Jessica, contemplatively, as Nelson tosses Matt a hoodie and Claire puts the medical kit on the bed.

“Also the only one,” says Page.

“You don’t know that for sure,” says Jessica, evenly, and instinctively reaches for her flask before she remembers—she left it in the car, because it didn’t have any alcohol left, and she really kind of doubts Matt would let her near the communion wine.

“I can’t even bring myself to be all that surprised that you aren’t dead,” Claire’s saying, “but also, next time there’s a collapsing building, Saint Matthew, can you try not to be anywhere _near_ it?”

“I didn’t exactly plan on being stuck under it,” says Matt.

“You didn’t exactly plan on getting out with us either,” says Jessica. “Considering you asked _Danny Rand_ to protect the city, and, by the way, this is the guy who nearly ran me over on the way here.”

“He _what_ ,” Matt yelps.

“You _what_ ,” says Nelson. “Matt. _Matt_.”

Karen starts forward. Jessica grabs her arm, holds her in place with almost zero effort on her part, because, honestly. She’s just a hundred ten pounds, at most.

“Right,” says Claire. “All of you, out.”

\--

They get Matt out, and just in the nick of time, because Jessica’s bringing up the rear end when she spies a nun coming out of the bathroom and seeing her, eyes going wide in realization.

Jessica’s out the door quick after that, because apparently nuns can really _run_ when they’re pissed off. And nothing pisses a nun off like kidnapping a patient from the hospital wing and giving everyone food poisoning—probably nothing would piss God off quite like that either, but he hasn’t struck her or Nelson or Karen down yet.

They clamber into the car and peel away from the curb before anyone else can come after them, possibly with pitchforks and torches.

Turns out Luke drives crazier than Danny does when frazzled, because on five different occasions someone yells _lamp post! lamp post Jesus Christ_ or _do not swerve into that tree_ , among other exciting variations. Eventually, though, they make it back onto the road.

“Thank god,” says Matt, slumping in his seat. They’ve crammed him in between Nelson and Claire, the same row as Jessica is, so she sees him scrunch his face up like he’s smelling something incredibly off here. “How did any of you find out where I was?”

“Your ex the slightly murderous zombie showed up and told us,” says Jessica. “Or told your girlfriend, actually.”

“She’s nice,” says Karen. “When she’s not being a murderous zombie.”

“ _Very funny,_ ” says Matt, testy.

“We are going to talk about this— _not telling people you’re not dead_ thing later,” Nelson starts.

“I would’ve if I could’ve,” says Matt, which is a great big lie if Jessica’s ever heard one. “But my phone got lost and the nuns weren’t exactly keen on letting me have a new one. And, uh.” He fidgets, picking slightly at his sleeve. “I. Sort of. Found out where my mother was.”

“Your mom?” says Nelson, confused.

Jessica tilts her head. She’d done some research, but she hadn’t thought to look closer at where Maggie Murdock had gone, exactly. “Your mom the nun?” she says.

“How did you know?” Nelson demands from her.

“I have a working router,” Jessica shoots back.

“Yes,” says Matt, long-suffering. “My mom the nun and apparently _Mother Superior_ , it, uh. You can imagine how awkward it was.” He coughs. “Thanks for saving me.”

“Welcome,” Luke says. “You know, I think I’ve got a few beers in the fridge.”

“ _Please,_ ” says Matt.

“ _Same,_ ” adds Jessica.

“ _No,_ ” says Claire, sternly. “You just came back from the _dead_. No alcohol for you until I’ve cleared your dumb, self-sacrificing ass.”

“Only you, Matt,” says Karen, shaking her head. “Only you.”

\--

ii. The next time the Defenders team up, it’s a coincidence.

“Pretty fancy place,” Colleen says, her arm on the inside of Claire’s elbow. “Hey, Danny—thanks.”

Danny smiles back, and tries not to feel too bad about letting his ex go. Claire’s a good person, Colleen’ll be happier with her, he’s sure. “You’re welcome,” he says.

“You sure about this?” Claire says, ever practical. “I don’t exactly wanna impose on you.”

“You aren’t!” says Danny, holding his hands up. “Seriously, consider this more our thanks, for patching us up all the time.”

“ _Our,_ ” Claire echoes, eyes narrowing.

“Come on, let’s go,” says Colleen, and the two of them turn away from him and walk down the plush carpet to the hot new restaurant in town. “Are you allergic to shellfish by any chance?”

“Nah, not really,” Claire says, then Danny doesn’t hear any more from her because she and Colleen have stepped inside.

He sighs. Break-ups are— _difficult_ , to say the least, but if Colleen is happy, then. Well. He can’t be too sad. He shouldn’t be. She’s happy, after all, and thus it follows that he should be happy _for_ her, and—

He isn’t. He _is_ , but. But.

God, he is a terrible friend.

He sighs, turns to go back to his limo. Then:

“Danny!”

“Ironclad!”

“Iron _Fist_ ,” he corrects, turning to Jessica and Luke. She’s still in a leather jacket and jeans, the strap of her new camera hanging out of her bag, and he’s wearing a new hoodie, a lighter shade than the old, bullet-riddled one. “What are you guys doing here?”

“I’m working a case,” says Jessica.

“I’m tracking a weapons dealer,” says Luke. “Jess and I decided to work together once we found out we were looking for the same person.” He looks at the limo, then at Danny, and says, “I’m gonna guess that’s not what you’re here for.”

“I was just about to leave,” says Danny. “I dropped Colleen and Claire off for their date.”

Jessica, wordlessly, pulls her flask out and holds it out.

“I don’t need a drink,” says Danny.

“Oh, good, I didn’t really want to share anyway,” says Jessica, tucking her flask back into her jacket. “Sadsacks.”

“We’re going to need to get them and any innocents out of there before things go bad,” says Luke, squinting at the restaurant. “From what I hear, there’s a deal going down tonight. If things go south, a lot of people are going to get caught in the crossfire.”

Oh. Well, crap.

“I’m gonna call Colleen,” says Danny, fishing his phone out.

Then a car just a block away _explodes_. Instinctively, Danny ducks behind Luke, colliding with Jessica and almost falling on his ass.

“I think things are going south now,” he says, taking an opportunity to peek up over Luke’s shoulder.

“You fucking _think_?” snaps Jessica.

Danny knocks on the window of the limo, and says to the driver, “Get going!”

“Mr. Rand—”

“We can handle this,” says Luke.

“Do you wanna get blown up,” says Jessica, “because that’s going to happen if you don’t _get the fuck out of here_.”

The driver pulls away from the curb, as quickly as possible. Thank god, Danny hadn’t wanted to have to resort to desperate measures to get him away.

Gunfire cuts through the air. The restaurant’s windows shatter, glass spraying out fast and far enough Luke pushes him and Jessica behind another car.

“I am about _sick_ of having to buy clothes,” Luke complains, shielding his eyes as shards of glass rip through his hoodie.

“You can borrow mine,” Danny volunteers.

“Yeah, no, you’re too skinny,” says Luke. “All right, I’ve got a plan.”

“Plans are good,” says Danny. “Is this the kind of plan where you cover us and we all kick ass and take names?” He looks around for a splash of red horns, and says, “You know, we’re just missing one. Then we could really make an entrance—”

And that’s when Luke’s phone starts blaring, _that Big Apple took a bite out of me—_

“Train?” says Jessica.

“What?” says Danny.

“Nelson,” sighs Luke, swiping his thumb across the screen. “Mr. Nelson?”

\--

“Hey, Luke,” whispers Foggy, where he and Matt are crammed into a bathroom stall. “Um. This isn’t a legal thing, but uh—Matt and I are a little bit stuck in a restaurant, and it’s like _Die Hard_ out there except with, like, eighty percent more Canadians. Claire says hi, by the way, she’s in the stall over.”

Matt cocks his head, and says, quiet, “She also says _hurry the fuck up._ ”

“She also says _hurry up_.”

“Colleen says she has dibs on the yippee-ki-yay line,” Matt adds.

“Colleen has dibs on all _Die Hard_ quotes,” says Foggy. “Yes. Really. Sorry, guys.”

\--

“Damn,” says Danny. “I was really looking forward to that line.”

“So, what,” says Jessica, “we sneak our way in?”

“Nah, we won’t,” says Luke. “Or at least Danny and I won’t.” He nods to Jessica, and says, “Between the three of us, you’re the least well-known figure. Danny and I will draw the fire away from you, that sound good?”

“Sounds good,” says Danny.

“Murdock’s going to owe me so big after this,” says Jessica, with a huff. “Hey, Luke, after this, I’ve got a spare hoodie. You can borrow that.”

It’s too dark to know for sure, but Danny could swear he sees Luke’s smile go soft and affectionate, the way it still sometimes does around Claire. “Yeah, I’ll swing by to pick it up,” he says. “Danny?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you pay the damages for this car?”

Danny glances briefly at the car he and Jessica have ducked behind. “Eh, sure, why not,” he says.

“Great,” says Luke. “On three. One, two, _three_ —”

\--

iii. The next time the Defenders meet up after that is in the hospital.

“Of all the hospitals in New York City,” Jessica grouses from her hospital bed, when she sees Matt step through the door, his hand brushing briefly against the doorway, “your boyfriend just had to end up in _this_ one.”

“I thought we were beginning to form a bond here,” Foggy Nelson, sitting up in the other bed, complains. “I really did!”

“Hey, Matt,” says Trish, warmly, from her seat at Jessica’s bedside. _Warmly_ , oh, god.

“Hey, Trish,” says Matt, the tip of his cane tapping lightly against the linoleum floor. Jessica sits up, careful not to pull at her IV—Claire had been very clear on her not leaving the premises until she’d recovered enough from _a goddamn infected knife wound_ to even stand—and watches him _tap tap tap_ his way over to Nelson. “I—really am sorry. About how the date turned out.”

“I am _right here,_ ” says Jessica, just as Luke and Danny squeeze inside, both of them carrying flowers. “And get those away from me. I have _hayfever._ ”

“No she doesn’t,” says Matt.

“You’re a terrible liar,” says Trish.

“You don’t know that,” says Jessica, belligerently. This, she thinks, is what she gets for being a hero and teaming up with people.

“I know you don’t,” says Luke, mildly, and this is _definitely_ what she gets for deciding to give this whole friendship with your exes thing a try. “And before you ask for alcohol—”

“—Claire says no,” Jessica completes. “Goddammit. Where is she anyway?”

“It’s a little freaky you guys can do that,” says Danny. “Also, I want to do that. Matt?”

“Absolutely not,” says Matt.

“Claire was giving a statement to Officer Knight, last I checked,” says Nelson. All things considered, for a guy with a stab wound and a tendency to chat, Nelson seems very zen right now. That, Jessica figures, might be because of Matt, pulling up a chair to take his hand. “But that was three days ago, and I’ve been a little loopy since. Is she okay?”

“She’s unhurt,” says Matt. “We’ve been taking shifts.”

“Everyone’s okay,” says Trish. “After the initial spray of gunfire, nobody _died_ , miraculously.” Her gaze sweeps between all four of them, Danny with his pitiful bouquet, Luke with his colorful flowers, Matt sitting at Nelson’s bedside with a hand in his partner’s, and Jessica. “You know what they’re calling you now?”

“Do _not_ ,” says Jessica. “Not the H-word, I am _not_ —”

Trish laughs, shakes her head. “Not the H-word, promise,” she says, and there’s something bright and mischievous in her eyes, that makes Jessica feel— _better_ , kind of, about humanity in general, maybe. “They’re calling you guys the Defenders.”

“Cool,” says Danny, a little breathless.

“I guess it’s a little cool,” says Luke, sounding a little impressed himself.

“It’s ridiculous and you know it,” Jessica tells them both, because someone has to be the realistic, sensible, practical one here.

“It’s a lot better than _Devil of Hell’s Kitchen,_ ” says Matt.

“Aww,” says Nelson. “Honestly I was sort of pulling for Revengers. Or Heroes for Hire.”

“I’m the only one for hire,” says Jessica. “And also, I’m not a _hero._ ”

“Too late, you’re a Defender now,” says Trish, smug, and Jessica rolls her eyes at her.


End file.
